Title: STATUS REVIEW OF THE KEWB PROGRAM

Abstract

jectives, the accomplishments, and a summary of the work outstanding. The obtectives of the experimental and analytical studies were to investigate and reach an understanding of the kinetic behavior of aqueous homogeneous reactors. Information produced by the program, experiments on the spherical core, capsule experiments, and the remaining work schedule are discussed. (W.D.M.)

After an experimental survey of eight different models of pressure transducers, a system with fast response was developed to measure pressures in the KEWB reactor. The transducers used in the system operate in an environment which presents a high radiation level but which has temperatures that are quite low for a reactor. Thus they would not be suitable for use in a power reactor because of the temperature limitation. Since installation of this pressuremeasuring system in the KEWB reactor, the recombiner tests and transient experiments have been completed, and observations have been made of explosion pressures. Two very useful piecesmore » of special equipment were developed in the course of this project. One was the remotely controlled shock tube, which was used for testing transducers and was operable in the reactor through-tube. The other was the dual DADEE circuit developed to compensate for ringing and insufficiently fast response in transducers with two degrees of freedom. (auth)« less

Short-period transients (less than 15 msec) in the KEWB reactor are apparently controlled primarily by void production resulting from gas evolution in the core. A growth mechanism probably prevails during the short-period excursions which differs from that which occurs at longer periods. Experimental data were examined which showed that the energy transferred to the average bubble is an order of magnitude less than that required to cause bubble growth. It is believed, however, that the validity of the growth model can be established by refinements concerning energy availability deposited in the bubble area and by refinement of bubble-size distribution functions.more » (J.R.D.)« less